Romeo and Juliet
by FrenchPea
Summary: SECOND CHAPTER ADDED! ***slash!*** what if Juliet was a guy? Um, it's better than it sounds, honestly. Honestly. I'm just bad at summaries.
1. Author's Notes (and Random Ramblings)

Romeo and Juliet--author's notes

Romeo and Juliet

Author's Notes

(a random selection of ramblings and warnings on this piece)

Please check back as I update for warnings on the different chapters! 

Basic history: Instead of a story inspiring art, this time I had a piece of art inspire this story! My friend Lucie-sama (Katie) had been watching Romeo & Juliet (the one with Leo Di Caprio) and in her words, "I wondered what would have happened and if there would have been more trouble if Juliet were a man." (Personally, even though it's not SPELLED like that, I like Juliette better... ^_^;;) And...she drew a lovely picture and...this story was born. I don't care who doesn't like what I did to it; love between two young men is just as "right" as love between a young woman and a young man, and I _don't intend to debilitate William Shakespeare's great work. I'm __not writing this in play form, or in archaic language. It's __just a story. I repeat, it's __just a story!! If you feel the need to flame me, though, send it to my email and please don't clog FanFiction.net's servers! (Besides, I enjoy flames! I can ridicule you and show your work to everyone I know!) Okay, now on to the first lovely chapter/act!!_

__

Act Un: All the Impossibilities--

Warnings: Violence. Boy/boy love (nothing besides a few kisses, I promise! ^_^) and some serious homophobia. ^_^ Have fun

Summary: Romeo Montague, a young noble, sneaks out with his "lowlife" friend Mercutio to "have some fun" at the rival family's ball. He doesn't expect to meet the young, lovely Juliet Capulet there, however, and THAT, my friends, changes EVERYTHING...

Rating: PG-13 for violence as well as _some adult concepts. _

Act Deux: Concerning a Balcony and Two Boys--

Warnings: Boy/boy love and a little language. Some dirtiness between Mercutio and Benvolio. Wah. I dunno, it's the balcony scene, folks. Fairly tame. :P

Summary: Romeo finds his Juliet at his balcony musing and calls up to him.

Rating: PG-13. Story on a whole: PG-13

Special note: Eh, it was brought to my attention that I'm not following and characterizing the play exactly. I don't intend to, either. This is a fairly simplified version that revolves almost completely around Romeo and Juliet. Wah, yes, a cheap knock-off, if you see it that way. I hope you don't.

*******THE FOLLOWING CONTAINS SLASH (MALE/MALE LOVE). IF THAT DISTURBS YOU PLEASE DO NOT READ ON, OR PROCEED WITH CAUTION! THANK YOU!*******


	2. Act UN: All the Impossibilities

Romeo and Juliet--Act Un: All the Impossibilities

Romeo andJuliet

Act Un: All the Impossibilities

Do you listen to yourself

_Never live for someone else_

_Do you like the way your feel_

_Nothing hurts when no one's real_

_She wants to shake this scene_

_Yeah she wants to shake with me_

_She's not looking for the holes in all the lies_

_ _

_I wanna bulletproof your soul_

_Would you like to lose control_

_I won't let you fall until you tell me so_

_ _

-- "Bullet Proof" by the Goo Goo Dolls

His name was Romeo. Romeo Montague. He should have been happy, because he lived in a big house with a happy, rich family and two parents who loved him. He should have been happy because he was allowed to do almost anything with almost anyone he wanted. Romeo should have been happy, but he was not.

Not really, at least. There were times he was happy, but those were few and far apart. Really Romeo thought he might be happier was he a poor peasent living on the streets. He thought that, at least.

It came to pass one fateful day that Romeo and his friend Mercutio (who was not quite in Romeo's parents' favor just then) were lounging on the lovely beach near the Montague house.

Mercutio was looking very bored with the cavorting girls (both slaves and freewomen) and his purple eyes were not very lively at all just then.

"Mercutio," Romeo said, cocking his head to the side so that some of his unruly blonde hair fell into his face, "what's wrong?"

"I am very bored," declared the other young man, lifting one finger. "I have nothing to do; therefore, I am quite bored indeed."

Romeo suppressed a snicker. "What would you suggest we do, then?" he asked, shifting his legs in the sand.

"Personally?"

"Yes, personally."

"I think we should go crash a Capulet party tonight." Mercutio announced, standing up suddenly.

"And how are we going to get in to this Capulet party, being Montagues, or at least associated with them?"

Mercutio brushed his red hair out of his eyes and produced two slips of paper from his pocket. 

Romeo examined them. They were emblazoned with red and gold, the Capulet colors, and said on the front in elaborate letters, "Honored Reddrake and Friends." He laughed. "Ah," he said.

Mercutio bowed comically. "And I am the Honored Reddrake. Are you my friend, Romeo?"

Romeo laughed again and nodded vigorously. "I am!" he stood up beside Mercutio and then paused. "Say, it's a masquerade, isn't it?"

Mercutio produced a mask from his pocket and tossed it at Romeo. "Of course!"

"What are you going as?" 

"A lovely butterfly."

"You're not!"

"I am!" Mercutio insisted as the two began walking down the stretch of beach towards the mansion looming in the distance. "You?"

Romeo's mouth curled up. "Devil."

Mercutio mock-applauded. "Nice choice, O master of evilness."

"Is that a word? Evilness?"

*****

Mercutio grabbed Romeo's arm and led him into a room of glittering lights. "Come on, O Friend of Reddrake!"

Romeo laughed and followed Mercutio (who was, indeed, dressed as a glittering butterfly) into the party. Mercutio flashed his "invitation" at the doorguard and batted his eyelashes. 

Immediately Romeo's gaze focused on several of the females in the room and then flitted away from them again. There was _not anything interesting to him here. _

Mercutio was lost in a crowd already; he was surrounded by men and women a like and was conversing rapidly. He was like that; people seemed to be drawn to him.

Romeo sighed and tried to examine everyone in the room closely before picking one of the more suitable females and walking over. He smiled charmingly. "I don't believe I'be made your acquaintance, miss."

She dimpled. "I'm Rosalie, good sir. By what name may I address you?"

"You can call me Remeo." He took her hand and kissed it gently. 

They danced a few times; the music was excellent. Romeo was bored. He said good-bye politely and went to find Mercutio to ask him if they could go (or if, at least, Mercutio had found something to do.)

Glancing through the crowd, said butterfly-dressed man was not apparant. Romeo sighed and readjusted his horns and tail, tugging on his shirtsleeves. His mask was annoying him but he did not dare take it off. Instead, he began shoving his way through the crowd.

Someone ran smack into him; obviously someone in a _hurry. To go somewhere. _

"Oh God!I'm sorry!" that person exclaimed, whirling to face Romeo.

Romeo saw an angel.

After a few moments, that initial impression wore off into a very pretty young man in an angel costume, but he still looked unearthly to Romeo. 

"I'm Romeo," he muttered, taking the boy's hand and kissing it.

The boy turned an uncomfortable shade of pink. "Why did you kiss my hand?! I'm a guy!"

"I felt like you deserved it." 

The boy looked up and locked eyes with Romeo. His eyes were an ethereal shade of cobalt blue and his hair (which was long, and in a ponytail) was absolutely ebony black and in the glittering lights its highlights were blue. He was tall, a little shorter than Romeo, though, and very slender. His white shirt was falling open; its violet laces were undone and sagging loosely. 

Romeo's mask fell off his face but he did not care. He had not let go of the boy's hand either. Neither of them said anything. 

Finally the boy whispered, "My name is Juliet..." 

The crowd was still milling around them and Juliet tugged at Romeo's hand, pulling Romeo out into a garden. 

They were silent again. 

Romeo asked, "May I kiss you?"

Juliet blushed. 

"Well may I?"

He did not wait for an answer; simply bent slightly and touched his lips to Juliet's. Gently at first, and then as Juliet's hands came around his neck, harder. He felt warm breath against his cheek and pressed his lips against the ethereal boy's even harder, running his tongue over Juliet's lips.

Juliet's mouth opened, warm velvet heat, inviting Romeo. He took the invitation and plunged his tongue into Juliet's mouth, exploring the ridged roof of the other boy's mouth, the smooth teeth, sparring with his velvety tongue.

Romeo pulled away and breathed and then plunged back in, wrapping his arms around Juliet's slender waist and pressing the length of Juliet's body up against him. Heat rushed through his body, obliterating any coherent thoughts at all. He continued to kiss Juliet until the boy was trembling and practically ready to collapse in his arms, and then pulled away slowly, looking into the hypnotic blue eyes.

Juliet panted heavily, and there was no sound in the garden but his breathing and the chirping of crickets. It was dark and the stars were just unveiling themselves. "My God...Romeo..." 

"Yes, indeed, Juliet. My Juliet." Romeo whispered, nuzzling against Juliet and catching his lips again shortly. 

"Yours," Juliet confirmed against Romeo's mouth, giving himself over to another deep kiss.

Romeo's world consisted of nothing but the lovely Juliet; nothing but the boy in front of him deserved any attention. Suddenly, though, someone began to scream, "JULIET! JULIET!" and said boy pulled away, wide-eyed.

"Oh Romeo…I…need to go…"

"You'll see me—I'll see you again!"

"Yes!" Juliet pulled out of Romeo's grasp and started to run, his stuck-on wings at an odd angle. 

"Juliet!" screamed Romeo, desperate at the thought of not saying a real goodbye to his angel and finding out when, in concrete numbers, he would be allowed to see Juliet again.

Juliet whirled, his ebony hair spinning out behind him.

"When?"

"I don't know—tomorrow! As soon as you can! I'll be here!" 

And then Juliet was gone.

Romeo left in a sort of pleasant haze, found Mercutio waiting for him. 

"What's with you, man? Romeo? Speak to me, come on."

"I met someone."

"Who?!" the ever-curious redhead demanded, poking Romeo hard in the stomach. "Describe!"

"Black hair."

Mercutio narrowed down his suspects to the ones with black hair.

"Blue eyes."

Another narrowing-down of the selection. But he needed more. "More!" he demanded, jerking Romeo's sleeve. 

Romeo tugged it back away. "Tall, thin."

There were still a few of them left. A few, but a selection worthy of Romeo Montague. 

"Costume?"

"Angel."

Mercutio jerked away. "You idiot! He's not a girl! He's a boy! And a Capulet at that!"

Romeo appeared not to hear his friend. "All the possibilities," he murmured. "Being in love…all the possibilities."  
  


Little did he know. Oh, little did he know, indeed. 


	3. Act Deux: Concerning a Balcony and Two B...

Act Deux: Concerning a Balcony and Two Boys

Romeo andJuliet

Act Deux: Concerning a Balcony and Two Boys

_One more day down_

_Well everybody has those days_

_Where one soft sweet song's_

_Just enough to clear my head_

_Fall on real life_

_Is anybody left there sane?_

_If we just slide on over and accept fate_

_Then it's bound to be a powerful thing_

_One boy head strong_

_He thinks that living here's just plain_

_He's pushed down so hard_

_You can hear him start to sink_

And it's one last round of petty conversation 

_You hold on boy cause_

_You won't go down like that_

_Just roll on over_

_And lay down till it's more than you can take_

_So one more day down_

_And everybody's changing_

_One more day down..._

_ _

-- Rob Thomas, "Black and White People"

"He's lovestruck," Mercutio declared, putting his head in his hands, "a guy. And with Juliet Capulet."

"Juliet? _Capulet??" Romeo's cousin, Benvolio, grabbed Mercutio's collar and hauled him upwards. "You're letting my cousin turn into a __lovesick pansy?" _

_ _

"I'm not _letting him," Mercutio protested weakly, "it just sort of... __happened..."_

_ _

"And where is he now?"

"I don't know," said Mercutio helplessly, jerking away from Benvolio, "but it's no use looking for him if he doesn't want to be found. You and I both know Romeo."

"Yes, we do," Benvolio said exasperatedly, running a hand through his already-tousled brown hair which was sticking up on end. "And we know he won't be found if he doesn't want to."

"I just said that," said Mercutio. "Besides, I'm fairly willing to believe our _dear, dear Romeo is up at that little slut's room right now, getting a nice piece of ass."_

"You're near as bad as him, I should think," said the other, cuffing Mercutio across the ear.

"Gah! Hands off, hands off!" Mercutio narrowed his purple eyes and the corners of his lips curled up, exposing his white teeth. "More likely, Romeo's in his chamber, sitting oh so quietly and playing with himself, wishing that he were Juliet."

"Oh lord, Mercutio, let's just go to bed."

"To bed, to bed," Mercutio said. "I'll go to mine, and you go to yours. Just don't you follow me or I'll nip your manliness off and toss it out the window before rolling over and going peacefully to sleep."

Benvolio groaned and pushed Mercutio away.

*****

"I can't sleep," Romeo whispered to the tree he was sitting in, pressing his face to the ridged bark and breathing its scent in. "I can't sleep, because I'll dream of Juliet. So I'm here. Waiting. Watching."

A light flicked on somewhere upstairs, bathing the outdoors' dim blues and deep greens in a slight yellow wash.

Romeo's head jerked up and he murmured, "I think...it's Juliet. But I'm not sure. God, I hope it's him, though. I can't ever remember having this much feeling for a person--not even Mama or Papa--in my life. He's so damned beautiful, but it's not a damned thing at all. He's like the sun, I swear it. I'm left ever looking up to him and shielding my eyes so his incandescent beauty doesn't blind me." 

His hazel eyes, clouded with emotions, played over a dark figure coming to the window. The window opened and its warmth flowed further out into the courtyard. A slender figure squeezed out of the window and spilled slowly onto the balcony. It was indeed Juliet of the midnight hair and indigo eyes, and Romeo pressed a hand to his mouth to keep from crying out in joy.

"My love, it's him," he whispered huskily to the tree, "It's him, I knew it would be. I wish I could marry him right now. Oh, God, he's like an angel...his eyes, I just want to fall into them. He's so beautiful, so very, very beautiful. I don't ever think I'd truly seen beauty until I met him."

A soft, sweet voice called, "Oh God!" from the balcony and Romeo's eyes fastened on him.

"He's speaking." Romeo whispered.

"God, God! Why is his name Montague? Why can't we just..._change it somehow? Why, God, __why? Romeo, Romeo, why does your name have to be __Romeo? Wouldn't you be the same person if you'd been born a different name? Can't I change myself so I'm not a Capulet?" a pause, and then the cobalt eyes turned to the sky again. "If we called a rose a stinkweed, wouldn't it still smell sweet?"_

Romeo inhaled sharply. 'Should I say something?' he thought.

"It's only your _name that's my enemy, not yourself! Can't you just cast off the name? It's only a name! Oh, my love, Romeo, lose your name, lose your title, and I would still have you for yourself."_

"I'll do that!" called Romeo, climbing off the tree and dropping to the ground. "From now on, call me only 'love' and I won't be Romeo anymore!"

"Who's there?" replied Juliet's voice. "Who's that? I can't see you! It's too dark! It's Romeo, isn't it? Romeo Montague?"

"Neither of those names if you don't like them, my beauty!"

"Oh, God! Romeo! How'd you get in here?" Juliet leaned over the balcony, his ebony hair falling onto his shoulder, and extended one hand. "The walls--even _I can't climb them, and if any of my family finds youi here--oh, it'll be the devil to pay!"_

Romeo reached up and his fingers grazed Juliet's. "My love--for you, Juliet--my love gave me wings, and I flew to you. And your family is no problem either; I'm not afraid."

"If they see you, they'll kill you," said Juliet, tears glistening in his eyes. "They'll kill you."

"I am protected by love. Your beauty is my shield against any of their swords, Juliet."

"God, I hope no one sees you here, my love."

Romeo laughed nervously, "I do too. But it's night and I know I can hardly be seen. And it's better I die early having lived and loved you than live to old age without you."

"Oh Romeo...do you love me as much as I love you? I do believe in love at first sight, because it's now happened to me. I think I love you far too much. My heart--loving you takes so much of it up I have hardly any room for anyone else. God, Romeo, I love you. Just the thought of you can bring a smile to my face--already! And I've just met you..." Juliet's fingers brushed Romeo's again and his hair, which had been taken out of its ponytail, spilled around his smiling face and insanely blue eyes like a halo.

"You are an angel," Romeo murmured, "and by the moon, I swear--"

"Oh, don't swear by the moon, Romeo, 'cause the moon disappears during the day."

"What should I swear by, then?"

"Don't swear by anything, or if you still want to swear, swear by your own beautiful self, which I love most."

"If my heart's love--"

"Well, don't swear. Though I love you and I love being near you, I don't love this contract we're making tonight. It's too sudden, too rash, too unadvised."

"Juliet, will you leave me so unsatisfied then?" Romeo asked, turning his face upwards and gazing at the silver-gilt moon.

"What can I give you tonight?"

He smiled. "Just say you love me like I love you."

"I've said that already, though!" there was a hint of amusement in Juliet's voice, but exasperation there too.

"Wouldn't you just say it again, please?"

Juliet smiled, ethereally, and the effect was utterly dazzling. "Yes, Romeo. My love is as endless as the see, and my love is as deep as the sea, and the more I give to you, the more I have, for it's infinite."

Juliet's head turned as he heard his name called from inside. "But my nurse! She's calling...Romeo, wait a little bit and I'll come back out, I promise." He turned and ran back inside.

"Oh, my love..." whispered Romeo, as he climbed back to his tree and waited for a few moments.

Juliet wriggled out of the window, laughing and tying his hair back. "Three words, Romeo! And good night! If your love is so true, marry me! Tomorrow, send me word, what time and where to be, and I'll be there with you!"

The nurse's hoarse old voice called, "JULIET!" from the room.

"Nurse, just a second!" cried Juliet loudly back, and then to Romeo, "But--"

"JULIET!"

"Just a _minute, Nurse!" he turned back to Romeo, and said, urgently, "Good night! A throusand times, good night!" and, with a blown kiss, he climbed back through the window._

Romeo dropped out of the tree and turned to leave, smiling.

"Hsst! Romeo! Hsst!" came Juliet's voice from the window, and he whirled.

"My love?!" he called softly to the window where he could see Juliet's sweet face.

"What time tomorrow should I come to you?"

"Nine!"

"I'll be there! Oh...I forgot why I called you back..."

"I'll stand here till you remember it," said Romeo, smiling up at the window.

"I will never remember with you standing there because my thoughts stray to how much I love being around you!" Juliet looked at the sky and the setting moon. "It's almost morning. You should go. Good night...good night. God bless and good night. Parting is such a sweet sorrow." 

Juliet blew a kiss to Romeo again and whirled and then the light flickered off again.

Romeo stood gazing at the window. "Sleep well, love, and have peace. But I have to go now to the friar for his help in this matter."

He turned and disappeared into the night.

*****

End Act Deux.

PS: SORRY! It took so very long, I am sadly aware. But now, *holds up Shakespeare book* I have the original play and the story will probably adhere more to the actual play. This scene is very close to the balcony dialogue. Again, sorry that it took so long. It'll take less time now that I am off work for the summer and I have the book. Ciau! Enjoy!


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